Anime tourism (アニメ聖地巡礼, anime seichi junrei, literally 'anime sacred-site pilgrimage') is the practice of visiting real-world locations depicted in anime works. Once a niche enthusiast practice, it has become a significant element of regional economic development planning in Japan, with municipal governments now actively cooperating with anime productions to encourage tourist visits.
The Lucky Star precedent
Modern anime tourism is usually traced to Kyoto Animation's Lucky Star (2007), which set its opening sequence at Washinomiya Shrine in Saitama Prefecture. Within months of broadcast, visitor numbers at the shrine rose substantially. The local chamber of commerce — initially uncertain about how to engage with the influx of anime fans — collaborated with Kadokawa on official merchandise, festival events, and pilgrimage maps. The model proved exportable.
Subsequent cases
- K-On! (Kyoto Animation, 2009) — Toyosato Elementary School, Shiga Prefecture.
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya — Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture.
- Your Name (Shinkai, 2016) — Hida-Furukawa, Gifu Prefecture; Suga Shrine, Tokyo.
- Yuru Camp (2018) — multiple campsites in Yamanashi and Shizuoka.
- Bocchi the Rock! (2022) — Shimokitazawa, Tokyo.
Institutional response
The Japan National Tourism Organization formally added anime locations to its promotional materials in the 2010s. The Agency for Cultural Affairs publishes guidance on anime-tourism cooperation, and the Anime Tourism Association — a consortium of municipalities, broadcasters, and travel agencies — was incorporated in 2016 to coordinate efforts.